How to Detect and Treat Cold-Related Illnesses

frostbite

Prolonged exposure to low temperatures, wind or moisture — whether on a ski slope or in a stranded car — can result in cold-related illnesses, such as frostbite and hypothermia. The National Safety Council offers these tips to help you spot and put a halt to these winter hazards.

Frostbite is the most common injury resulting from exposure to severe cold.

Symptoms:

Superficial frostbite

  • White, waxy, or grayish-yellow patches appear on the skin.
  • Skin feels cold and numb.
  • Skin surface feels stiff, but underlying tissue feels soft and pliable when depressed.

Deep frostbite

  • Affects the feet or hands.
  • Waxy, pale, solid skin.
  • Blisters may appear.

Treatment for Both

  • Move inside immediately, and seek medical attention.
  • Remove any constrictive clothing items that could impair circulation.
  • Place dry, sterile gauze between toes and fingers to absorb moisture and stop them from sticking together.
  • Slightly elevate the affected part to reduce pain and swelling.
  • If you are more than one hour from a medical facility and you have warm water, place the frostbitten part in the water (102 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit). If you do not have a thermometer, test the water first to see if it is warm, not hot. Rewarming usually takes 20 to 40 minutes or until tissues soften.

Hypothermia occurs when the body's temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Symptoms:

  • Change in mental status, uncontrollable shivering, cool abdomen and a low core body temperature.
  • Severe hypothermia may produce rigid muscles, dark and puffy skin, irregular heart and respiratory rates and unconsciousness.

Treatment:

  • Move out of the cold, and call for immediate medical attention.
  • Protect yourself from further heat loss by using blankets, pillows, towels or newspapers beneath and around your body, including your head.
  • Replace wet clothing with dry clothing.
  • If you’re assisting someone else, handle the victim gently to avoid cardiac arrest.
  • Remain in a horizontal (flat) position.
  • If you’re assisting someone else, give artificial respiration or CPR (if you are trained)
    as necessary.

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